Apertured container cover and attachment



June 18, 1951 E. s, TUPPER 2,796,062

APERTURED CONTAINER COVER AND ATTACHMENT Filed Nov. 1. 1954 2 Sheet s-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

En IZL 6. TUPPER E. s TUPPER APERTURED CONTAINER COVER AND ATTACHMENT June 18, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 1, 1954 INVENTOR.

E081. S. 'FUPPE E Unite tates patent APERTURED CONTAINER COVER AND ATTACHMENT Earl S. Tupper, Upton, Mass.

Application November 1, 1954, Serial No. 465,794

9 Claims. (Cl. 128-252) This invention relates generally to a form of nursing bottle capable of being disassembled for use as a tumbler by means of a removable closure member and which is capable of being easily cleaned and maintained in sterile condition.

. The main object of the invention resides in the provision of a nursing bottle having a non-breakable container portion accessible for easy cleaning and sterilization and having a closure member provided with a central opening for removable engagement of a conventional type of nipple.

The closure and container portions without the central aperture are embraced in United States Patent Number 2,487,400 issued November 8, 1949 to the applicant here- Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of structure permitting conversion of a type of tumbler made of sterile, non-breakable and locally deformable material into a sealed container which is hermetically sealed by a closure having associated therewith a replaceable nursing nipple.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a nursing bottle having replaceable parts for differential wear and tear.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of-a nursing bottle including a removable closure which is unbreakable, cannot injure the child and is light in weight. The said bottle and closure are preferably made of polyethylene or other plastic material having similar characteristics. Thus, the device has local deformability, is inert to, and does not absorb and is not readily wettable by water, does not soften at operating temperatures below the boiling point of water, and which at ordinary temperatures is odorless and resistant to chemicals and solvents. In addition, the device presents a surface waxy to the touch and is comprised of a sterile medium which consequently is resistant to mildews, micro-organisms and insects.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear in the progress of the disclosure and as pointed out in the appended claims.

Accompanying this specification are drawings showing a preferred form of the invention wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the nursing bottle in assembled condition.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of Figure 1 across the plane 22 thereof.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a child in reclining position using the nursing bottle, the subject matter of the invention herein.

Figure 4 is a view in perspective showing a child using ice the container portion of the nursing bottle as an ordinary tumbler for drinking purposes.

Figure 5 is an exploded view of the parts of the nursing bottle.

Figure 6 is a view in perspective of the nursing bottle partially cut-away showing a cap member for purposes of maintaining the nipple element sterile.

Figure 7 is a sectional view of Figure 6 across the plane 7-7 thereof.

In accordance with the invention and the preferred forms shown, numeral 10 indicates generally a container member shown with conical side walls terminating in a peripheral rim 11. Container 10 may be of any shape and is of a material which is soft to the mouth, tasteless, flexible and yet locally deformable such as polyethylene or any other substance having similar physical characteristics including the vinyl compounds and derivatives thereof.

In the use of a container of this nature, a closure member generally indicated by numeral 12 when made of the same or similar material affords a live resistance with the container 10 to effect a seal therewith as will hereinafter be described.

Closure 12 is provided with a central horizontal or upper wall 13 having a central aperture 14 therein to engage a nursing nipple generally designated by numeral 15. Of course, it is understood that aperture 14 is capable of use for many other purposes other than a nursing nipple such as a drinking straw, thermometer, stirrer and wherever it is required or found necessary to maintain most of the cover on the container for suitable purposes. A stopper with a central hole may be applied over the aperture.

The closure 12 has an upwardly directed and inverted U-shaped annular groove as the rim for sealably engaging the container rim 11. Thus the outer side wall 16 of the groove terminates below the inner side wall 17 and continues in a flaring portion 18 in one form (Figure 7) while a top or connecting Wall 19 joins the side walls.

In the type of groove shown in Figures l-5 outer wall 16 is provided with a flared portion 18' on the inner face for finger engaging purposes for removal of the-closure. Thus, closure 12 at the inverted groove is placed over the mouth or top rim 11 of the container and the top groove defining wall 19 is pressed down by the thumb successively at adjacent points or slidably along the top groove defining Wall axis to effect a spreading of the side groove walls 16 and 17 and a stretching of central wall 13 so that a-sealing engagement between the container rim 11 at the outer rim wall and the top rim edge is effected with the corresponding inner surfaces .of the side and top groove defining walls 16 and 19 respectively. Such operation for application of the closure for sealability of the container includes an interfitting groove which is either slightly less than the thickness of the container rim edge 11, or an outside lateral dimension or diameter of the rim of the container which is slightly larger than the lateral dimension or diameter of the inside Wall of the groove outer defining wall 16. It is to be noted that in applying the closure such as 12 prior to complete closing, the central horizontal wall 13 is locally depressed as by the forefinger (see Figure 2) so that air may be forced out of the container and to create a partial vacuum for helping to cause an automatic downwardpul-l on the closure for initial insured sealability. 1

Before application of closure member 12 to container aveaoee is effected, nipple is introduced on closure member wall 13aboutthe aperture 14. Thus, nipple 15 has 'a conventionally shaped body member forming the peripheral side wall of chamber 21, said chamber terminating at the bottom edge in a frusto-conically shaped flange 22 having an intermediate channel 23. The edges of aperture 14 of the closure member are adapted to be engaged on both faces by the Walls of channel 23 for purposes of effecting a removably seal-tight connection between nipple 15 and closure wall 13. Nipple 15 is of the conventional type and is made of a well known resilient and soft material such as rubber or plastic and no claim 'is'being made -to this type of nipple per se.

A dome-shaped cover member may be utilized and is generally indicated by numeral 24 and has a top wall 25 and a peripheral side wall 26 to protect and maintain the sterilization of nipple 15 when in assembled position with the closure'member when in engagement with container 10. Closure member side wall 26 terminates in an inverted L-shaped peripheral flange having legs 27 and 28, said legs 27 and 28 being adapted to seal-tightly engage respectively the top and side walls 1? and 16 of the closure groove. The terminal 29 .of leg 28 is adapted to engage the top face of closure flange 18 as best shown in Figure 7 while a tab 30 is provided on leg 28 for purposes of initiating the removal of cover 24. It is understood that cover 24 is preferably made of polyethylene or other similar material for purposes of maintaining hermetical sealing with closure 13, sterility of nipple 15 and insulation of the contents of container 10.

Although nipple 15 has been shown and described as being applicable to closure member 13, it is understood that wherever the word nipple is used in this specification any other device may be substituted therefor to:

permit a communication with container contents when closure 12 is in sealing position on container 10. More over, the closure aperture 14 may remain without an attachment for purposes of stirring the contents within the container 10; or the aperture 14 may be further reduced as by a stopper for purposes of maintaining a drinking straw, a thermometer or other device in the event that it is desired to otherwise communicate with the contents of container 10.

In the structure described, the use of a sterile, odorless and locally deformable material such as polyethylene or other material having similar characteristics as heretofore mentioned aids in sanitation, attraction, safety and in creating a live seal between the connecting walls; and furthermore is responsible for the non-snap type of engagement of the parts as well as the silent peeling-01f type of operation when the parts are removed for cleaning, sterilization and storing purposes.

I wish it understood that minor changes and variations in the material, combination, location, type of molding and integration of parts may all be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apertured container cover and attachment comprising a plastic and deformable cover member having a horizontal wall provided with a peripheral and inverted groove rim consisting of an inner, outer and top connecting wall, the outer wall having a flared portion adapted for finger engagement for removal from the container, the said horizontal wall having an aperture therein to provide-an engaging rim, and a device having a groove therein removably engageable with said rim of said horizontal wall for seal-tight connection therewith whereby communication is made between said device and the contents of the container.

2. An apertured container cover .and attachment comprising a plastic .and deformable cover member having a horizontal Wall provided with .a peripheral and inverted groove rim consisting of an inner, outer and top connecting wall foriseal-tight engagement with a container,

the outer wall having a flared portion adapted for finger engagement for removal of the cover from the container, said horizontal wall having an aperture therein to provide an engaging rim, and a sucking nipple having a groove therein removably engageable with said rim of said horizontal wall for seal-tight connection therewith whereby communication is made between said nipple and the contents of the container.

3. An apertured container cover assembly comprising a cover member having a horizontal wall provided with a peripheral and inverted groove rim consisting of an inner, outer and top connecting wall adapted for sealtight connection with the container, the outer wall having a flared portion adapted for finger engagement to remove the cover member from the container, the said horizontal wall having an aperture therein, a sucking nipple removably secured to the said horizontal wall adjacent the aperture for seal-tight connection therewith whereby communication is made between said nipple and the contents of the container,.and a closure member removably secured to the container cover and enclosing said nipple, said closure member having a peripheral wall provided with an inverted L-shaped rim flange sealably and removably secured to the outer and top connecting walls of said groove rim.

4. An apertured container cover assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein the container cover and closure are formed of a substance having polyethylene physicalcharacteristics.

5. An apertured container cover and attachment comprising a plastic and deformable cover member having a horizontal wall provided with a peripheral and inverted groove rim consisting of an inner, outer and top connecting wall adapted for seal-tight connection with "the container, the outer wall having .a flared portion for finger engagement for removal of the cover from the container, the said "horizontal wall having a concentric aperture therein and providing an engaging rim, and a sucking nipple having a groove removably engageable with said rim of said horizontal Wall for seal-tight connection therewith whereby communication is made between said nipple and the contents of the container.

6. An-apertured container cover and attachment comprising a plastic and deformable cover having a flat horizontal wall of resilient .material provided with a peripheral and downwardly extending rim flange for engagement with a container, the said Wall having an aperture therein provided with an engaging rim, and a sucking nipple having a groove for removable engagement with said r'im for seal-tight connection therewith whereby communication is made between 'said device and the contents of the container.

7. An apertured container cover and attachment comprising a cover member having attachment comprising a cover member having a flat horizontal wall of resilient material provided with a peripheral and downwardly extending rim flange adapted for engagement with the container, the 'said wall having a concentric aperture therein, and an attaching device removably secured to said wall between the opposite surfaces thereof and adjacent the aperture for seal-tight connection therewith whereby communication is made between said device and the contents of the container, the said container cover being formed of a substance having polyethylene physical characteristics.

8. An apertured container cover assembly comprising a cover member having a horizontal wall provided with a peripheral and inverted groove rim consisting of an inner, outer and top connecting wall adapted for sealtight engagement with a container, the outer wallhaving a flared portion for finger engagement for removal of the cover from the container, said horizontal wall having an aperture therein, 'a distributing nipple removably secured to said horizontal wall adjacent the aperture for sealtight connection therewith whereby communication is made between said nipple and the contents of the container, and a closure to protect said nipple comprising a References Cited in the file of this patent top and side wall, the side wall having an inverted L- UNITED STATES PATENTS shaped peripheral terminal edge in removable engagement 2,052,496 Stassl Aug. 25, 1936 2gb the top connecting and outer walls of the groove 5 2,487,400 Tupper Nov 1949 2 669 234 Baracate Feb 16 1954 9. An apertured container cover assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein at least the first mentioned cover 2696370 Gafiord 1954 member is formed of a substance having polyethylene FOREIGN PATENTS Physicalcharmel'isfics' 1,011,848 France Apr. 9, 1952 

